Texas head coach Mack Brown argues a call during the first quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Texas head coach Mack Brown argues a call during the first quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press

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Texas' Marquise Goodwin (84) runs for a 64-yard touchdown during the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Texas' Marquise Goodwin (84) runs for a 64-yard touchdown during the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Texas' David Ash (14) looks to pass to Johnathan Gray (32) during the first quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Texas' David Ash (14) looks to pass to Johnathan Gray (32) during the first quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Oregon State's Jordan Poyer, left, throws as Texas defender Alex Okafor (80) pressures him during the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) less

Oregon State's Jordan Poyer, left, throws as Texas defender Alex Okafor (80) pressures him during the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP ... more

Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press

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Oregon State's Terron Ward (28) celebrates with teammates Josh Andrews (69) and Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, center, after he scored a touchdown in the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game against Texas, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) less

Oregon State's Terron Ward (28) celebrates with teammates Josh Andrews (69) and Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, center, after he scored a touchdown in the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl NCAA football game ... more

Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press

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Texas head coach Mack Brown reacts after his team gained the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Texas head coach Mack Brown reacts after his team gained the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas head coach Mack Brown gestures after his team gained the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Texas head coach Mack Brown gestures after his team gained the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas' Marquise Goodwin (84) makes a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter for the go ahead score against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Texas' Marquise Goodwin (84) makes a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter for the go ahead score against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27. less

Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns ... more

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas head coach Mack Brown hugs player Alex Okafor (80) after the Longhorns stopped the Oregon State offense late in the fourth quarter in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Texas head coach Mack Brown hugs player Alex Okafor (80) after the Longhorns stopped the Oregon State offense late in the fourth quarter in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27.

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas head coach Mack Brown (right) gets congratulated by Oregon State head coach Mike Riley after the Longhorns rally in the fourth quarter to win the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27. less

Texas head coach Mack Brown (right) gets congratulated by Oregon State head coach Mike Riley after the Longhorns rally in the fourth quarter to win the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, ... more

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27. less

Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns ... more

Texas linebacker Peter Jinkens makes a picture of himself with fans after the Longhorns defeated Oregon State, 31-27, in the Valero Alamo Bowl in the Alamodome on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Texas linebacker Peter Jinkens makes a picture of himself with fans after the Longhorns defeated Oregon State, 31-27, in the Valero Alamo Bowl in the Alamodome on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Photo: Billy Calzada, Express-News

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Texas defensive end Alex Okafor celebrates after the Texas defense stopped Oregon State on a drive during Valero Alamo Bowl action in the Alamodome on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Texas defensive end Alex Okafor celebrates after the Texas defense stopped Oregon State on a drive during Valero Alamo Bowl action in the Alamodome on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Photo: Billy Calzada, Express-News

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Marquise Goodwin, top right, and Texas teammates celebrate after Goodwin caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. The Longhorns won, 31-27 over Oregon State. less

Marquise Goodwin, top right, and Texas teammates celebrate after Goodwin caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Oregon State in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. The Longhorns won, 31-27 ... more

Photo: Billy Calzada, Express-News

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Texas linebacker Tevin Jackson (11) sacks Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz late in the fourth quarter to help seal the Longhorns' victory in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Texas linebacker Tevin Jackson (11) sacks Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz late in the fourth quarter to help seal the Longhorns' victory in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

Photo: Billy Calzada, Express-News

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Texas head coach Mack Brown gestures the Longhorn sign along with player Kenny Vaccaro (04) after receiving the 20th Valero Alamo Bowl trophy for defeating Oregon State on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27. less

Texas head coach Mack Brown gestures the Longhorn sign along with player Kenny Vaccaro (04) after receiving the 20th Valero Alamo Bowl trophy for defeating Oregon State on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, ... more

Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Texas won, 31-27. less

Texas quarterback David Ash (14) leaps over Oregon State defenders Tyrequek Zimmerman (08), Feti Unga (41) and Jordan Poyer (14) to score a touchdown in the second half that sparked a comeback for the Longhorns ... more

Photo: Kin Man Hui, Express-News

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Longhorns Insider: Good old days still in play for UT's Brown

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AUSTIN — The case against Mack Brown is a simple one, and over the past few months many have made it.

The last three seasons have been the worst at Texas since 1999. The Longhorns have been humiliated twice in a row by their archrival, they've been mired in the middle of the Big 12 pack, and even recruiting isn't what it used to be.

But there's a case to be made in Brown's favor, too. It starts with the idea that 2013 was the year he targeted when he decided to reconstruct his imploded program two years ago. And oddly enough, it's supported by the encouraging history of what's happened when it's looked as if the game has passed a successful coach by.

From the Bear to the Ball Coach, from Woody to Joe Pa, the grayest of supposedly declining college football legends have almost always been able to count on at least one late-career bounce-back.

To be sure, Brown won't be saved by history alone. He'll need David Ash to keep recreating the second half of the Alamo Bowl instead of the first. He'll need Jackson Jeffcoat to get healthy, and his defense to be less terrible. He'll need to get his team ready to play Oklahoma for once.

But if all of that comes together, and the right mix of experienced talent finally rediscovers some of the confidence and consistency Brown's teams had during the first decade of the century?

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Maybe it won't be like when Brown was young. But it could be like when some of his predecessors were old.

Brown certainly isn't the first man to have won hundreds of college football games then suddenly look unqualified to motivate a Pop Warner team.

Bear Bryant won national championships at Alabama in 1961, '64 and '65, then watched the Crimson Tide go an ugly 20-13-1 from 1968-70. Seven years after a championship at Ohio State, Woody Hayes was coming off a two-year record of 10-8.

For all of those coaches, glory days looked like a thing of the past. For the most part, they were. But somehow, whether they were lucky or simply too stubborn to quit, each of them managed a comeback.

Bryant went 11-1 in 1971, then won three more national titles after that. Hayes went 10-0 in 1968. Schembechler bounced back with a 10-1-1 season in 1985; Fry went 10-1-1 in 1991; Paterno went 11-1 in 2005; and Spurrier went 11-2 in 2011.

In some of those cases, the rebound year was nothing more than a last hurrah, and an excuse to keep an aging coach around. Fry and Paterno, clearly, would have been better served by leaving on that high note. So, too, would have Bobby Bowden, who followed a mini-rebound in 2003 with six more years of mediocrity.

So maybe Brown will be smarter. Had Colt McCoy not been injured in that Bowl Championship Series title game three years ago, and had the Longhorns beaten Alabama for his second title, there's a good chance he would have retired and handed things over to Will Muschamp, his coach in waiting at the time.

So if 2013 comes together like he hopes? If he beats a rebuilding Bob Stoops, gets to 10 or 11 victories again, and pulls off another of his sport's gray-haired rallies?